BOTTLED HEALTH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 133, 7 June 1934, Page 4

BOTTLED HEALTH

MILK FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN HALF A PINT EVERY DAY INNOVATION AT KEITH STREET Due to tho collaboration of the wives of Wanganui Rotarians with the children’s parents, the pupils of Keith Street School are to be given half a pint of milk every morning prior to their play hour. Th e daily diink was begun on Tuesday, and marked the first occasion upon which a school in tho Wanganui Education Board’s district has been able to put the advice of milk advocates into practice. Yesterday morning some 240 children were photographed in the sunshine with their half-pint of milk, and if they did not realise the full significance of the unusual occasion as they blinked in tho bright light, their elders, who were present, did. The desire to make the experiment a success and to see other schools in Wanganui adopt the practice is a very real enthusiasm with Mrs. H. D. Robertson (wife of Dr. H. D. Robertson), president of the Wanganui Rotary Club), Mrs. R. L. Thompson (wife of Mr. R. L. Thompson, the vice-presi-dent), Dr. Elizabeth Gunn (the Wanganui Education Board’s health inspector), and Miss Sampson, the principal of the school. Together with Mr. N. B. Allen, they watched the youngsters as they filed from their schoolrooms, took their positions gravely, waited patiently while they obliged the photographer, and then sucked the milk through the straws. “Bottled health for a penny a day,” observed Dr. Gunn as she approached the reporters present. “That’s what it is, and I hope that all the schools in Wanganui will follow the example set by Keith Street.” “Who is paying for it!” Dr. Gunn was asked. “The parents and the wives of Wanganui Rotarians are meeting the cost, , which amounts to 5d a week for each 1 child without the small expense of the straws,” replied the doctor. “Tho milk comes from a special dairy and is produced by cows that have ah been subject to a tuberculosis rest. It is bottled and absolutely pure food.” “And do you regard this in the nature of an experiment or do you intend to make it part of tl/e school routine?” “That depends on the support we are given,” said Mrs. Robertson. “We are asking the parents to do what they can. and at the same time we aro hoping to build up funds by holding dances. It is a good cause and we hope that all who can will assist. We feel quite sure that the children will benefit greatly.” “Do the children like the new ‘exercise’!” one of the teachers was asked. “Oh, yes. they like it,” she replied. “Some of the smaller ones find half a pint as much as thew can manage. but the elder children make short, work of it.” Tho photograph taken, the milk disappeared and tho straws twisted and bent, tho children made, their way back to tho class rooms with the empty bottles, and then reappeared for their play-time. “Hi, Tommy, did you drink your milk?” called out one of the youngsters. “ ’Course I did. Gimme that ball.” was the reply. Off the pair went, across the playground in hot pursuit. Milk, photograph, straws and everything else were forgotten. But the visitors and the teachers were rather graver. Their thoughts wore evidently not so much for tho present but for the future and wore no doubt hoping that the support they seek will be forthcoming and that the result of their efforts will be fully justified by the bettor health of tho youngsters.